Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Bohol

For one person, living is cheaper in Bohol: $451 a month against $945 in Manila, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Manila
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Manila Living Index

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Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Bohol

🇵🇭 Philippines

$451

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Bohol

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manila and in Bohol actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $945 per month in Manila vs $451 in Bohol, rent included.

Manila $945
Bohol $451

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in Manila vs $772 in Bohol, rent included.

Manila $1,572
Bohol $772

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Manila vs $1,093 in Bohol, rent included.

Manila $2,199
Bohol $1,093

Manila costs about 110% more than Bohol, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manila and Bohol are more affordable than the global median – Manila 31% lower, Bohol 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 ₱341

$7.68 ₱490

-30.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₱1,691

$30.76 ₱1,965

-13.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱251

$3.05 ₱195

28.85%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱162

$1.91 ₱122

32.46%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱86.2

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱52.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₱152

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱122

$1.54 ₱98.7

24.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱92.1

$0.92 ₱58.7

56.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱60.3

$1.00 ₱64.0

-6.00%

Eggs

$2.30 ₱147

$1.98 ₱127

16.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 ₱473

$7.33 ₱468

1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱295

$4.73 ₱303

-2.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 ₱425

$9.30 ₱595

-28.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₱211

$1.38 ₱88.1

138.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱115

$0.93 ₱59.2

93.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ₱192

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱112

$1.87 ₱119

-5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱142

$1.82 ₱116

21.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₱170

$4.56 ₱291

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₱137

$2.32 ₱149

-7.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱34.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ₱196

$3.39 ₱217

-9.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₱611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱83.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱127

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱25.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱815

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₱45.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱81.0

$1.32 ₱84.1

-3.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.7K ₱1.3M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.7K ₱1.2M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$120 ₱7,641

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.69 ₱1,003

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 ₱1,508

$21.59 ₱1,380

9.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 ₱2,720

$14.16 ₱904

200.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱361

$5.49 ₱351

2.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ₱415

$3.90 ₱249

66.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$599 ₱38.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,818 ₱563.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₱3,621

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,751

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,878

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,546

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱33.6K

$188 ₱12.0K

180.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱19.0K

$158 ₱10.1K

87.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 ₱120.5K

$314 ₱20.0K

501.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱52.1K

$281 ₱17.9K

190.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱253.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱151.2K

$513 ₱32.7K

361.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 ₱29.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Last update for Bohol: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$297 31.4%

Bohol

–

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$216 22.9%

Bohol

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$159 16.8%

Bohol

–

Eating Out

Manila

$104 11%

Bohol

–

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$97 10.3%

Bohol

–

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$56 5.9%

Bohol

–

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Bohol

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Manila versus $188 in Bohol. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $31 in Bohol. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Manila vs $156 in Bohol – so Bohol wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇵🇭 Bohol

🕒 Local time

06:11 6:11 AM

Same time as Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

2,454

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Manila Bohol 630 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Manila
Bohol

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Manila vs Bohol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manila is pricier by about 110%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Manila and $676 in Bohol. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bohol, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $188 there versus $526 in Manila.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Manila, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila and $31 in Bohol. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $451 in Bohol to $945 in Manila. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.